What Natalie Says

Picture taken at The Farm last October just after her 3rd birthday

Inspired by the mother of a friend's blog about what her 5 year old says, I am starting a "sub section" to my blog entitled, you guessed it, "What Natalie says" (at least this time, she's had some good ones lately and I've been dying to share) In case you don't know Natalie is my 3 year old niece.

So here goes:

While talking to her mom about her birthday list (her birthday is months away): "Mom, um for my birthday I want a real deer and a real sheep. You know, like pets."

After singing Jesus Loves the Little Children with Auntie Katy: "Jesus loves all the children and all the cheese"

Talking about age:

Her: "Na na (it's what she calls me) did you know that on my next birthday I'm gonna be 24? Ooops, I mean 4."

Me: "I did know that. Did you know that I'm 24?"

Her: "Ya. (she didn't) But Na na, did you know that someday I'm gonna be really old like Papa?"

Me: "You are?"

Her: "Ya, but first I am gonna be just kinda old like Grammie."

Me: "I bet she would love to hear you say that!"

Losing It With Kelsey

Recently there has been a new show on TV called "Losing It With Jillian" I have never seen the show but I imagine it involves that spunky, bossy, noisy Jillian from The Biggest Loser and is all about how she travels the country looking for families in need of something and how she yells and screams them into shape.

This is not like that show.

This show is about a young mother of a 2 year old and her everyday struggles to maintain her sanity, unsuccessfully, I might add.

Today's episode begins with said 2 year old touching her behind while she was pooping, thus spreading poop ALL over the toilet seat, her legs, that pesky hair that won't stay out of her face and consequently, her face.

Not cool.

She has done this before and had a stern talking too. But to no avail. Mother and child hop in the shower to wash off. Child screams and hits the mother when it is time to wash her hair because there is no wash cloth to cover her eyes, even though she hasn't used or needed one recently. The mother tells the child (who had hit her earlier in the morning as well) that she will be getting a time out and a swat with the spoon as soon as they are out of the shower and proceeds to wash they screaming child's hair anyway; remember, there's poop in it?

They get out of the shower and the mother instructs the child as to where she can find her clothes to get dressed. Apparently the shirt the mother picked out was not a good choice, even though she bought it for her daughter while she was away for the first time a few months ago.

Might I add it is a very cute shirt.

Bright pink with mermaids on it.

(It was bought at the aquarium)

The child starts to scream and cry about how she "doesn't like this shirt" and "I don't want to wear it!" The mother forces the shirt over the child's head, puts on her pants and takes the child to her room where she proceeds to scream and cry for the last 40 minutes. She wants her kitty and baby, see post: The A Team, but since she still has not calmed down the mother refuses to bring them in.

Will the child be sold? How long will it take the mother to curl into a ball and cry herself?

Stay tuned.

Not so Joker Feet

Although I would say it required more light scraping with a finger nail than actuall "rubbing", it worked quite well!

Now, Does anyone know any toe exercises? I would like to rid myself of the "sausage toes"

Joker Feet

I went on a MOPS Leadership retreat last weekend. One of the moms was telling us about a toenail painting technique one of her friends uses. The idea being that it doesn't matter how messy the skin around the nail is as long as the nail itself was covered. Then, when the paint is dry, take a warm shower and the polish on the skin will just rub off. I'm waiting for the polish to dry and the more I look at my toes the more they look like the joker just made out with my feet! I'm not even going to mention the fact that my toes also look like little sausages! (Maybe that's why the joker was kissing them?) Anyway, here are my "before" pics. I'm off to test the theory. Results soon.

The "A" Team

The "team" is a group of Gracie's favorite stuffed animals and dolls that MUST be in bed with her in order for her to sleep. The team started out as just Bear Doggie. Bear was given to her by her daddy the Christmas before she was born, and Doggie was a gift from a Grandma and Grandpa. Baby joined the team around Gracie's first birthday and Baby Claire shortly after. Baby Claire used to just be a sub in case we couldn't find Baby but more and more she is on the starting line up.

Steve and I went to Atlanta in May and during my trip to the Aquarium I picked up Whale. From the night we returned he has been a constant member of the team. A few nights ago Kitty joined the team and appears to be rapidly becoming a permanent team member as well.

Team photo(L to R): Whale, Baby Claire, Doggie, Bear, Kitty. Not pictured: Baby (she was forgotten at Grandma's while Mommy was out of town for the weekend and we have yet to get her back)

Gracie can barely hold them all when she comes into our room in the morning but somehow she manages to get them all in one trip.

I don't think this will last much longer and told Steve this morning that we may need to make some lay-offs. He said before I made any decisions I would have to check with the CEO.

What do you think her answer was?

Ice Caves Part 1

About a month ago we went to the ice caves. Gracie walked almost the whole way by herself. She did SO great! Here are some of the pictures from our hike.

Steve told her to smile and this is what she did.

More pics coming in a second post.

What's New: Moving, Songs and Family Things

Steve and I spent a week in Atlanta, Gracie free. If you've read my previous posts you knew that. What you may not have known is that in the month before we went to Atlanta we were desperately searching for a place to live. Long story short, the bank was kicking us out of the place we were renting. There was a hearing about two weeks before we left for Atlanta that said the bank could file with the sheriff to evict us. So if we didn't get out before we left we ran the risk of the sheriff showing up while we were gone and who knew what they would do with all our stuff.

The week before we left we were driving around with Steve's parents looking at places we had seen on Craig's List. We were starting to head home and we saw one last sign. With a sigh and a very un-energetic "fine" we drove by. Curb appeal=awesome! So we called, rent was $50 cheaper than the max limit we had set for ourselves, good. Landlord does all the yardwork, fantastic, and might I add the yard is beautiful! I get the joy of a lovely yard and beautiful flowers and I don't have to do anything! Who could ask for a better? The landlord lives in the unit next door.

And before you say anything about how awkward it is, know, it isn't.

Steve and I have never been the type to not get along with our landlords,

even if they hadn't all been our parents.

We don't party late into the night, and even when we do have parties

they aren't the crazy loud, drinking out of control kind.

We are more, family BBQ in the back yard, kind of party people.

We are quiet and respectful of those around us,

We have never trashed or plan to trash anywhere we live,

nor do we let Gracie go crazy all over the house.

Anyway, the place was awesome and we decided to take it. The only problem was that it wouldn't be available until after we got back. So we moved all of our stuff into storage and headed to the in-laws for a few days (mine, not Steve's).

On top of all of this, the father of a close friend of Steve's passed away unexpectedly and the memorial was scheduled for the Friday we were to leave. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7am and the memorial started at 11am. It was very important for Steve to go so we planned to rebook our flight. A few phone calls later and we found out it would cost more than the original ticket cost to rebook both flights, not gonna happen. After much debate we decided I would fly ahead and check into the hotel and Steve would try to catch a later flight on standby. In the end all worked out and Steve and I both made it safely to Atlanta.

We came home late the following Friday night and moved most of our stuff the next day. We have been here for almost a month and we are greatly enjoying it. Gracie's room is big enough that all her toys fit in it and the room isn't crowded, leaving my living room free of toys. YEA!!! We are excited to be here for awhile and hopefully we will be able to stay until we are ready to buy our own house.

Onto other news, Gracie has been in big girl panties since we moved in and is doing well. We still have the occasional accident, even while I was typing this post I had to pause to clean out some poopy panties, but most days are accident free and we're getting better.

On another side note, can I just say how much I loath

cleaning out poopy panties? It's gross.

Steve says all my years of working daycare

have ruined me. Just because when on the

rare occasion some poop falls on the floor and

I don't pick it up with my bare hands, does not make me ruined!

Besides, if you took as many bodily fluid safety training

classes as I have you wouldn't touch it with your bare hands either!

Since we've been home Gracie has learned so much! She not only is talking way more but she learned some new songs as well. Grandma owns a "Miss Patty Cake" dvd and I guess it is all Gracie wanted to watch while we were gone. She know knows the "Jungle Jamba" and other Patty Cake favorites that I get to hear just about everyday. Gracie and I have been singing "I got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart" and have now added another verse, only Gracie doesn't understand the words completely yet so she just sings "devil, devil, devil, devil, sit on a tack, OUCH! Sit on a tack, OUCH! (The real words are "And if the devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack, OUCH!) She thinks the "sit on a tack, OUCH" is the best part.

Onto the "family things" portion of my title. My baby brother graduated from high school and at his graduation he was one of the speakers. He did SO awesome. His speech was all about self discovery and on the impact one person can make. Steve posted it on youtube if you want to check it out. Makayla is doing well. Her doctors have taken her off of the really harsh seizure med and that has helped her regain more of her muscle control and be WAY more smiley. She is continuing to improve and we are so excited to see what God is going to continue to do!

That's it for now I guess!